San Juan social services posts near‑break‑even year; staff urge focus on state benefit tech and error‑rate fixes

Martha, San Juan County's social services director, told commissioners the county ended the state fiscal year nearly balanced, with a $217.20 surplus on the bottom line for the 2025 year‑end and December transmittal expenses of $34,009.52. She walked the board through key transmittal lines — hotline services ($475), La Plata County administrative support ($8,115), staff wages ($6,000.46), and payments to the Family Learning Center and the school summer program — and noted a one‑time $23,863 payment to the Silverton Family Learning Center under a previously approved grant of up to $25,000.

Martha described statewide policy conversations about restructuring how SNAP and Medicaid services are administered, saying counties submitted an alternative that focuses on correcting high error rates rather than reorganizing county governance. “Let's focus on these errors. We don't need to restructure,” she said, urging the legislature to fund technology improvements to enable counties to share documents and lower client‑reporting errors. She said counties hope a new shared system will begin rolling out in mid‑to‑late 2027 if funding is approved.

Commissioners asked questions about the TANF reserve (currently $100,000) and were told the department expects to draw about $5,000 into reserves before the state fiscal year ends, largely attributable to a one‑time childcare grant approved earlier. The board approved January and December transmittals by voice vote following the presentation.

Martha said staffing and coordination with area agencies (for example, San Juan Basin Area Agency on Aging) remain priorities; she asked commissioners to let the office know if they hear concerns from constituents as the state work group continues its planning.